BIAGGI 2ND ON BRNO GRID
 Team
Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi was on course
for pole position in the 16-rider Superpole shoot-out at today's
ninth-round World Superbike Championship round in the Czech
Republic right up the moment last rider Noriyuki Haga went
out onto the Brno circuit.
At that stage, Biaggi had lapped the 5.403 km circuit in
2:00.018 - a time that looked unbeatable. But then Haga blitzed
his Yamaha round the undulating track in 1:59.603 and became
the first rider ever to have lapped a Superbike at Brno in
less than two minutes. But Biaggi is happy enough with second
today, a front row grid position and is ready for two long
20 lap races tomorrow.
His team mate Yukio Kagayama made a couple of small mistakes
on his Superpole lap and ended sixth quickest - the same as
last year. Third fastest in Superpole today is Troy Bayliss
(Ducati) with series leader James Toseland (Honda) fourth.
Max Biaggi - 2nd:
"My Superpole lap time was the fastest I've been round
here this weekend and I thought maybe it was good enough for
pole position. It didn't work out that way but I'm not too
unhappy because I am on the front row and that is what counts.
If the weather is as hot or similar to these last two days,
tyres are going to be a crucial element. I think the guy who
wins tomorrow's race is the one who conserves his tyres best.
It's going to be a long, hard day for sure and the last five
or six laps of the races are going to very interesting. I
hope that tomorrow Brno will once again give me good memories."
Yukio Kagayama - 6th:
"I was sixth in qualifying last year and went on to
win both races, so if I can do the same I will be very happy!
Today I made some mistakes in Superpole and lost some time.
That was enough to lose the front row, but sixth is not so
bad. I went onto the grass and then wheelied when I hit the
ripple strip and that was probably about four-tenths-of-a-second
gone. Then some slides and more time lost, so that's where
my Superpole lap went. But I'm quite happy with my times on
race rubber and as long as I get a good start I think I can
be competitive for sure. It's going to be very hard tomorrow
- especially if the weather stays as hot. Tyre life is going
to be a problem and you will have to have a good tyre strategy
to win the race. This is going to be my goal."
Final WSB Qualifying: 1 Haga (J-Yamaha)
1:59.603, 2 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 2:00.018,
3 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 2:00.034, 4 Toseland (GB-Honda) 2:00.235,
5 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 2:00.251, 6 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare
Suzuki Corona Extra) 2:00.879, 7 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 2:01.078,
8 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki) 2:01.177, 9 Rolfo (I-Honda) 2:01.234,
10 Fabrizio (I-Honda) 2:01.690.
SUPERSTOCK 1000:
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavier Simeon was
on course for a front row grid place in final qualifying today
but his flying lap was brought to a halt because of a red
flag.
Up to the red flag his time through the first two splits
would have put him second quickest, but when the flag came
out, the chance was gone.
Xavier Simeon - 5th:
"I am happy, but not happy. I'm happy because the team
have worked hard and given me a very, very good bike and I
like riding it a lot. I am unhappy because I know I should've
been on the front row of the grid. I would've been there but
for the red flag. But that's how racing is sometimes. The
tyres are going to be a bit of a problem tomorrow because
of the heat but it's the same for everybody and we will have
to see what happens in the race and how the tyres perform.
I am really enjoying riding this bike at this track and I
still think I can be on the podium tomorrow.
Friday Superstock Qualifying: 1 Van Keymeulen
(B-Yamaha) 2:06.364, 2 Badovini (I-MV) 2:06.859, 3 Baiocco
(I-Yamaha) 2:07.178, 4 Dionisi (I-Suzuki) 2:07.602, 5 Xavier
Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 2:07.633, 6 Pirro (I-Yamaha)
2:07.782.
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